smith



(No Model.)

F.- A. SMITH, Jr.

7 BUTTON AND FASTENER.

No. 861,462. Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

INVENTEIR.

N. PETERS, Pmwmm m her. Washington a c UNITED STATES- PATENT Qrrrcn.

FRANKLIN A. SMITH, JR, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BUTTONAND FASTENER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 361,462, dated April 19, 1887.

Application filed January 6, 1887. Serial No. 223.547. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN A. SMITH, Jr. a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Buttons and Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. r 5 p This invention relates to an improvement in the construct-ion of combined buttons and fasteners of that class in which the button is rigidly connected to the fastener and is secured to fabric without the aid of sewing or any additional fastening device.

In buttons of the class mentioned, as previously made, the head is provided with an intermediate neck or eye having a foot-piece or base terminating in penetrating-prongs, said 2 5 neck or eye and the prongs being bent at right angles to the foot-piece or base, the said footpiece or base being designed to rest flat upon the upper surface of the material when secured thereto by the prongs. Buttons of this construction are faulty in that the foot-piece or base bearing-flat on the surface of the material, with said material clamped between the prongs and said foot-piece or base, renders the button too rigid, and does not allow sufficient flexibility or movement when used in connection with a button-hole in securing two parts of a garment together, while the sharp bends imparted to the metal in making the fastener are liable to break or injure the same and ren o der it useless.

My present invention has for its object to produce a combined button and fastener which shall possess the requisite amount of flexibility and freedom of movement when secured to 5 fabric to render it a desirable article for use thereto, each side of said fastening device diverging outward from the bottom of the button-head, forming an intermediate neck or eye, thence projecting downward, forming a penetrating-prong on each side thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 represents my improved button as secured to fabric. Figs. 2 and 3 are front ele vations of buttons embodying my improvement. Fig. 4 represents the form of button as previously made, of which my present invention is an improvement.

In carrying out my improvement the head a, which is made from leather, pulp, or other suitable substance, is provided on its under side with an intermediate neck or eye, b 2), formed by bending the two parts of the metallic fastener A divergingly from the bottom of said head to the bends co, the prongs or legs 61 d projectingdownward from said bends and provided with flattened or sharpened penetrating ends, as fully shown in Figs. 2 and 3 7 5 of the drawings, the button shown in Fig. 2 being formed with a curved intermediate neck or eye, while the one shown in Fig. 3 is angled, one being substantially the same in effect as the other. Fig. 4 is designed to illustrate the form of button of which my present invention is an improvement.

It will be observed that, as previously described, the intermediate neck or eye in said button is formed by the two parts of the fastener below the head standing close together and parallel with each other, the foot or base being formed by bending each part outward at sharp right angles to said neck or eye, and again bending the ends of the wire downward at right angles to said foot or base to form the prongs or legs. It is evident that a button of this form when secured to fabric to be used in connection with a button-hole in securing two parts of a garment together will be rigid and not flexible enough to allow sufficient move ment to be buttoned and unbuttoned easily, while the ends of the prongs clamping the fabric between them and the foot or base is liable to injure the part thus clamped, while with my improvement the fabric is forced into the space between the divergent sides of the intermediate neck or eye when secured thereto, as shown in Fig. 1, and the points of the prongs, instead of repenetrating the fabric, remain on the surface with said points turned upward, thereby forcing the fabric between the sides of the neck or eye, so as not to catch into or abrade articles of apparel in contact or injure the flesh of the wearer, and a much stronger holding is obtained in the fabric than if clamped, as described, with buttons as previously made. lhe necessary freedom of movement is attained to allow the garment to be easily buttoned and unbuttoned, while the bends imparted to the metal, being gradual instead of sharp, are less liable to injure said metal, and a strong and more reliable button is thus produced atno advance in the cost of manufacture.

Having described my invention, I clai1n 1. In a combined button and fastener, a head portion provided with a bifurcated neck or eye and penetrating-prongs projecting from the bottom of said head portion and rigidly secured thereto, the sides of said neck or eye diverging outward and downward, forming inclined or sloping shoulders from said head portion to the prongs, formed substantially as described, as and for the purpose specified.

2. '1 he combined button and fastener herein described, consisting of the head a, provided with a bifurcated neck or eye, I) b, and prongs (Z d, made from wire and rigidly secured to said head, formed as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN A. SMITH, JR.

\Vitnesses:

E. FISHER, CHARLES GREENE. 

